U.S. patent number 9,555,950 [Application Number 14/765,907] was granted by the patent office on 2017-01-31 for fluid product dispensing device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to APTAR FRANCE SAS. The grantee listed for this patent is APTAR FRANCE SAS. Invention is credited to Silvio Carrico, Jurgen Greiner-Perth, Francois Le Maner, Matthias Wochele.
United States Patent |
9,555,950 |
Le Maner , et al. |
January 31, 2017 |
Fluid product dispensing device
Abstract
A fluid dispenser device comprising: a reservoir (10) containing
at least two doses of fluid; a dispenser member (20), such as a
piston, that is mounted to slide in said reservoir (10) so as to
dispense the fluid; a dispenser head (30) that is provided with a
dispenser orifice (31), said head being movable relative to said
reservoir (10) so as to move said actuator member (20) in said
reservoir (10) and thus dispense the fluid through said dispenser
orifice (31); said dispenser head (30) including at least two
viewing windows (35, 36), said device including an indicator (40)
that is movable together with said reservoir (10), said indicator
(40) co-operating with a respective viewing window (35, 36) after
each actuation of the device.
Inventors: |
Le Maner; Francois (La
Haye-Malherbe, FR), Greiner-Perth; Jurgen
(Gottmadingen, DE), Carrico; Silvio (Singen,
DE), Wochele; Matthias (Friolzheim, DE) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
APTAR FRANCE SAS |
Le Neubourg |
N/A |
FR |
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Assignee: |
APTAR FRANCE SAS (Le Neubourg,
FR)
|
Family
ID: |
48795668 |
Appl.
No.: |
14/765,907 |
Filed: |
March 18, 2014 |
PCT
Filed: |
March 18, 2014 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/FR2014/050618 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
August 05, 2015 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2014/147329 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
September 25, 2014 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20160068326 A1 |
Mar 10, 2016 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Mar 19, 2013 [FR] |
|
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13 52460 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B05B
11/025 (20130101); B05B 11/02 (20130101); B65D
83/0005 (20130101); A61M 15/08 (20130101); B05B
11/308 (20130101); A61M 15/0065 (20130101); A61M
11/007 (20140204); A61M 2205/584 (20130101); B65D
2203/12 (20130101); A61M 15/004 (20140204); A61M
15/0036 (20140204) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
83/00 (20060101); A61M 15/00 (20060101); B05B
11/02 (20060101); B05B 11/00 (20060101); A61M
11/00 (20060101); A61M 15/08 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;222/321.6,160,23,41,47 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0 254 391 |
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Jan 1988 |
|
EP |
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0 580 897 |
|
Feb 1994 |
|
EP |
|
2 652 981 |
|
Jul 1989 |
|
FR |
|
2625981 |
|
Jul 1989 |
|
FR |
|
Other References
International Search Report for PCT/FR2014/050618 dated Jul. 7,
2014. cited by applicant .
International Preliminary Report on Patentability dated Sep. 24,
2015, issued by the International Bureau in corresponding
International Application No. PCT/FR2014/050618. cited by
applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Long; Donnell
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sughrue Mion, PLLC
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A fluid dispenser device comprising: a reservoir containing two
doses of fluid; a dispenser member, formed by a piston, that is
mounted to slide in said reservoir so as to dispense the fluid,
said piston being movable relative to said reservoir between a rest
position, before the first dose has been dispensed, and a final
position, after the second dose has been dispensed; and a dispenser
head that is provided with a dispenser orifice, said head being
movable relative to said reservoir so as to move said actuator
member in said reservoir and thus dispense the fluid through said
dispenser orifice; the fluid dispenser device being characterized
in that said dispenser head includes two viewing windows, said
device including an indicator that is movable together with said
reservoir, said indicator co-operating with a respective viewing
window after each actuation of the device.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said indicator
co-operates with a first viewing window after the first dose of
fluid has been dispensed, and with a second viewing window after
the second dose of fluid has been dispensed.
3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said indicator comprises
at least one colored indication zone, said indication zone
appearing in said first viewing window after the first dose of
fluid has been dispensed, and in the second viewing window after
the second dose of fluid has been dispensed.
4. A device according to claim 2, wherein said indicator is adapted
to mask colored indication zones that are provided in said
dispenser head, said indicator masking a colored indication zone in
said first viewing window after the first dose of fluid has been
dispensed, and masking a colored indication zone in said second
viewing window after the second dose of fluid has been
dispensed.
5. A device according to claim 2, wherein, after the second dose of
fluid has been dispensed, said indicator co-operates with both
viewing windows.
6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said indicator is formed
on a body that is fastened to said reservoir.
7. A device according to claim 1, wherein said indicator is adapted
to indicate, through at least one viewing window, that an
incomplete dose has been dispensed.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a National Stage of International Application
No. PCT/FR2014/050618 filed Mar. 18, 2014, claiming priority based
on French Patent Application No. 1352460 filed Mar. 19, 2013, the
contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference in
their entirety.
The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser device, and more
particularly to a device of the dual-dose type.
The term "dispenser device of the dual-dose type" means a device
containing two doses of fluid to be dispensed during two successive
actuations of the dispenser device.
Devices of the dual-dose type are well known in the state of the
art. Such devices generally comprise a reservoir containing the two
doses of fluid to be dispensed, and a dispenser member that is
generally a piston, that is mounted to slide in said reservoir, and
that is moved so as to dispense the fluid contained in said
reservoir. In a dual-dose device, the piston is moved in two
successive actuation strokes, such that a first dose is dispensed
during a first actuation, and a second dose is dispensed during a
second actuation. With this type of dual-dose device, it is
sometimes difficult for the user to know whether the device has
dispensed one or two doses. Unfortunately, depending on the type of
fluid that is dispensed by the device, in particular when it is a
medication, it may be important to avoid any risk of under-dosing
and/or of over-dosing. Thus, by way of example, if the device of
the dual-dose type is for dispensing a respective dose into each
nostril, it is not generally desirable for both doses to be
dispensed into the same nostril. Unfortunately, a user who has used
the device to dispense a first dose into a first nostril, and who
has then put it down or who has been distracted, risks dispensing
the second dose into the same nostril as the first dose if it is
not clear that the device has already been used a first time. This
is not generally desirable. Thus, if the fluid is expelled twice
into the same nostril, the excess active ingredient is not properly
absorbed by the tissues, or immediately starts to run out of the
nostril, with a clear loss of effectiveness. Furthermore, no dose
is then available for the second nostril. Documents EP 0 254 391,
FR 2 625 981, U.S. Pat. No. 6,708,846, EP 0 580 897, and US
2005/015051 describe prior-art devices.
An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid dispenser
device that does not have the above-mentioned drawbacks.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fluid
dispenser device that indicates to the user, in reliable manner,
the number of doses to be dispensed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a fluid
dispenser device that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and
to assemble.
The present invention thus provides a fluid dispenser device
comprising: a reservoir containing at least two doses of fluid; a
dispenser member, such as a piston, that is mounted to slide in
said reservoir so as to dispense the fluid; a dispenser head that
is provided with a dispenser orifice, said head being movable
relative to said reservoir so as to move said actuator member in
said reservoir and thus dispense the fluid through said dispenser
orifice; said dispenser head including at least two viewing
windows, said device including an indicator that is movable
together with said reservoir, said indicator co-operating with a
respective viewing window after each actuation of the device.
Advantageously, the reservoir contains two doses of fluid that are
dispensed during two successive actuations of the device, said
dispenser head including two viewing windows.
Advantageously, said indicator co-operates with a first viewing
window after the first dose of fluid has been dispensed, and with a
second viewing window after the second dose of fluid has been
dispensed.
In a first advantageous variant, said indicator comprises at least
one colored indication zone, said indication zone appearing in said
first viewing window after the first dose of fluid has been
dispensed, and in the second viewing window after the second dose
of fluid has been dispensed.
In a second advantageous variant, said indicator is adapted to mask
colored indication zones that are provided in said dispenser head,
said indicator masking a colored indication zone in said first
viewing window after the first dose of fluid has been dispensed,
and masking a colored indication zone in said second viewing window
after the second dose of fluid has been dispensed.
Advantageously, after the second dose of fluid has been dispensed,
said indicator co-operates with both viewing windows.
Advantageously, said indicator is formed on a body that is fastened
to said reservoir.
Advantageously, said indicator is adapted to indicate, through at
least one viewing window, that an incomplete dose has been
dispensed.
These advantages and characteristics and others of the present
invention appear more clearly from the following detailed
description, given by way of non-limiting examples, and with
reference to the accompanying drawings, and in which:
FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 are diagrammatic section views of a fluid
dispenser device in a first advantageous variant embodiment of the
present invention, respectively before dispensing the first dose,
after dispensing the first dose, and after dispensing the second
dose;
FIG. 4 is a larger-scale view of a detail A of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a larger-scale view of a detail B of FIG. 3; and
FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic and fragmentary section views of a
second variant embodiment of the invention, respectively after
dispensing the first dose, and after dispensing the second dose;
and
FIGS. 8 to 10 are diagrammatic side views of the dispenser head in
FIGS. 6 and 7, showing the visual indication that can be seen by
the user, respectively before dispensing the first dose, after
dispensing the first dose, and after dispensing the second
dose.
The present invention is described below with reference to a
dual-dose embodiment, i.e. a device containing two doses of fluid
to be dispensed during two successive actuations of the device.
However, the present invention could naturally apply to devices
that contain any number of doses, e.g. three or four doses. In
addition, the dual-dose type device shown in the drawings is only
one possible embodiment to which the present invention applies, and
naturally the present invention applies more generally to any type
of device containing at least two doses.
With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the dual-dose dispenser device
includes a reservoir 10 containing two doses of fluid. A dispenser
member, such as a piston 20, is mounted to slide in said reservoir
10. In the pre-actuation position of the device, shown in FIG. 1,
said piston 20 acts as a stopper, isolating the contents of the
reservoir 10.
A dispenser head 30 is assembled on said reservoir 10, being
axially movable relative to said reservoir. In particular, an axial
movement of the dispenser head 30 relative to the reservoir 10
causes the piston 20 to move in the reservoir 10, and thus causes
the fluid contained in said reservoir to be dispensed. The
dispenser head 30 includes a dispenser channel 33 that extends from
a perforator tip 34 to the dispenser orifice 31 of the dispenser
head 30. Upstream of the dispenser orifice 31, there may be
provided a spray profile 39 for dispensing the fluid in the form of
spray, which profile may be of any known type and is not shown in
greater detail in the drawings.
More precisely, in the embodiment shown, the reservoir 10 is
fastened in a body 50 that is thus secured to said reservoir 10 and
that moves together with said reservoir.
The dispenser head 30 includes a bottom side skirt 32 that is
adapted to co-operate with an actuator member 60. A finger-rest
element 80 may be assembled around said dispenser head 30, or, in a
variant, may be formed integrally therewith.
Said actuator member 60 is axially movable inside said side skirt
32 of the dispenser head 30 so as to perform successive actuations
of the device. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 1, the actuator
member 60 includes at least one sloping tab 61 that is adapted to
co-operate with projections 51, 52 of the body 50 so as to perform
successive actuations.
A return spring 70 is mounted between the actuator member 60 and
the dispenser head 30 so as to return said actuator member 60 into
its start position after each actuation.
Operation of the device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is as follows. In the
rest position in FIG. 1, the stopper piston 20 isolates the
contents of the reservoir 10 from the atmosphere. When the user
presses simultaneously on the finger rest 80 and on the actuator
member 60, said actuator member 60 moves inside the side skirt 32
of the dispenser head 30. This pushes the body 50 axially upwards
from the position shown in FIG. 1, by means of the tabs 61 that
push on the shoulder 51 of said body. This compresses the spring 70
and moves the reservoir 10 relative to the dispenser head 30. When
the reservoir 10 starts to move relative to the dispenser head 30,
the perforator end 34 of the dispenser channel 33 comes to
perforate the stopper piston 20 so as to put the inside of the
reservoir 10 into communication with said expulsion channel 33.
Continued actuation causes the piston 20 to move inside the
reservoir, thereby causing the first dose to be dispensed. The
fluid is thus pushed by said piston 20 through the perforator end
34 and into the dispenser channel 33, then via the spray profile 39
and out of the device through the dispenser orifice 31.
After the first dose has been dispensed, the device is in the
position shown in FIG. 2, and when the user releases the actuator
member 60, the spring 70 returns said actuator member towards its
start position. While the actuator member 60 is returning, the
reservoir and the body 50 do not move back, since the two
components remain held in said dispenser head 30. Optionally, the
dispenser head 30 may include non-return means, so as to prevent
said body 50 and/or said reservoir 10 from moving back. When the
actuator member 60 returns towards its rest position under the
effect of the return spring 70, the tabs 61 come to snap-fasten
below the second projection 52 of the body 50, which enables the
user to actuate the device a second time, so as to dispense the
second dose of fluid.
FIG. 3 shows the position after the second dose has been
dispensed.
In the invention, the dispenser device includes an indicator 40 for
indicating to the user whether the first dose has been dispensed
and whether the second dose has been dispensed. In this way, the
user knows exactly what the situation is, and whether or not the
first dose has been dispensed. The indicator 40 is adapted to
co-operate with viewing windows 35, 36 that are formed in said
dispenser head 30. Advantageously, the viewing windows 35, 36 are
formed in a side wall of the head, clearly visible to the user when
the device is held in the hand. Naturally, if the number of doses
of fluid contained in the reservoir is different from two, then the
number of viewing windows is also different from two. In
particular, the viewing windows may be made in the form of holes
that pass through the wall of the dispenser head 30, as shown in
figures.
Advantageously, said indicator 40 is formed on said body 50 that is
fastened to the reservoir 10. However, in a variant it is possible
to imagine an indicator 40 that is formed directly on the reservoir
10.
In a first advantageous variant, the indicator 40 comprises at
least one colored zone that comes to be displayed behind the
viewing windows 35, 36 after successive actuations of the
device.
Thus, as can be seen in FIG. 1, before actuation, no portion of the
indicator 40 is visible behind the viewing windows 35, 36. After
the first dose has been dispensed, as shown in FIG. 2, the
indicator 40 has moved relative to the dispenser head 30, so as to
come to be positioned behind the first viewing window 35.
Advantageously, the colored zone, typically red, of the indicator
40 thus indicates to the user, by a red display in the first
viewing window 35, that the first dose has been dispensed, whereas
the display in the second viewing window 36 remains unchanged.
After the second dose has been dispensed, said indicator 40 follows
its axial movement relative to the dispenser head 30, so as to come
to be positioned behind the second viewing window 36. In this
embodiment, after the second dose has been dispensed, the indicator
advantageously co-operates with both viewing windows 35, 36, i.e.
the user sees the colored zone in both windows 35, 36.
Thus, in summary, before the device is actuated for the first time,
both viewing windows 35, 36 have a display that appears blank, e.g.
white. After the first dose has been dispensed, the first viewing
window 35 becomes red, whereas the second viewing window 36 remains
blank. After the second dose has been dispensed, both viewing
windows 35, 36 are red. The user thus has no difficulty in seeing
very quickly whether or not the first and/or the second dose
has/have been dispensed, and thus does not risk over-dosing and/or
under-dosing the fluid, e.g. by dispensing the fluid twice into the
same nostril.
In a second advantageous variant, the indicator 40 does not include
a colored zone, but, on the contrary, is made in the same color as
the dispenser head 30. In this second variant, the indicator 40 is
adapted to mask colored indication zones that are visible through
the viewing windows 35, 36 before actuation. Thus, the colored
indication zones may be provided on a part that is secured to the
dispenser head, in particular on the rod element 390 that is in
contact with the piston 20. In particular, the rod element 390 may
be made entirely out of colored material. The reservoir 10 is thus
advantageously transparent so that said colored indication zones
can be seen in the viewing windows 35, 36 before actuation. Before
the first actuation, both viewing windows 35 and 36 display a
colored dot, as can be seen in FIG. 8. After the first actuation,
the indicator 40 masks the first viewing window 35, such that only
the second viewing window 36 displays a colored dot, as can be seen
in FIG. 9. After the second actuation, the indicator 40 masks both
viewing windows 35 and 36, such that neither viewing window
displays a colored dot, as shown in FIG. 10.
Thus, in summary, before the device is actuated for the first time,
both viewing windows 35, 36 have a colored display, e.g. red or
blue. After the first dose has been dispensed, the colored zone
behind the first viewing window 35 is masked, whereas the display
of the second viewing window 36 remains unchanged. After the second
dose has been dispensed, the colored zones behind both viewing
windows 35, 36 are masked by the indicator 40. The user thus has no
difficulty in seeing very quickly whether or not the first and/or
the second dose has/have been dispensed, and thus does not risk
over-dosing and/or under-dosing the fluid, e.g. by dispensing the
fluid twice into the same nostril.
Advantageously, the indicator 40 also makes it possible to indicate
incomplete dispensing, in particular by sizing the viewing windows
35, 36 appropriately. Thus, only completely dispensed doses enable
the indicator to fill the surface area of said windows completely.
The user can then detect incomplete dispensing by means of the
viewing window under consideration giving an indication that is
only partial.
Naturally, the present invention is described above with reference
to two non-limiting variant embodiments, and any useful
modification can be applied to the present invention without going
beyond its ambit, as defined by the accompanying claims.
* * * * *